Manchester City will host Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League group stage on Thursday at 3:00 AM Beijing Time (CET). Ahead of the match, Ruben Dias attended the team's press conference. During the opening remarks, he discussed how the team is facing Premier League allegations and his expectations for the upcoming match. Related link: [Ruben: After the verdict, we all felt we needed to talk, unite our minds, and calm ourselves]

How does it feel to stand before these fans after playing a match like that and experiencing everything that has happened over the last two weeks?

It feels incredible, truly incredible. The fans have provided outstanding support; they have always stood behind us. We will fight for them until the end. Winning in a difficult away environment like that feels very special, and it was our first match after the international break. We all know those matches are always challenging.

Over the last six years, you have experienced many wonderful moments and passionate atmospheres at the Etihad. Do you think tomorrow's match will be particularly special?

Let's wait and see. This is a heavyweight clash, and I'm sure everyone is looking forward to it. For us, it's an opportunity to test ourselves against one of the strongest teams in Europe, perhaps even the strongest. We're very excited for this challenge. I think the fans, like us, can't wait to be in the stadium. So yes, I believe this will be a special match.

Looking back at the celebrations after the match at Anfield, what was more satisfying for you: securing three points in a difficult away match at Liverpool, or more so that the team used the victory to respond to all the criticism directed at the club and team over the last two weeks?

It's a mixture of both emotions, but the main point is that we all know it's not easy to get three points at Anfield in recent years. So without question, that's the primary reason. In the end, we play to win points and compete for the title; that's our main priority.

The club has filed an appeal to the Premier League, but the team has faced considerable criticism over the last two weeks, with intense external scrutiny. During Sunday's match, many Liverpool fans chanted "cheaters". As a team member, how do you handle these voices and block out the external noise?

A player's personal growth inherently involves learning to live alongside all kinds of external noise, whether it's what you just mentioned or other voices. Personally, and I think I can speak on behalf of the entire team: we remain calm, we believe in the club, we stay focused, and we enjoy playing football.

We understand the strength of this team, and to maximize our potential, we work to win. That's all we care about—whether there's a lot of external noise or very little doesn't really change anything. It's always like this; not everyone is happy to see us win, and we love winning.

You were with the team in 2023 when the allegations were brought, and that season you ultimately won the treble. Although you choose to ignore the noise, do the players turn these voices into motivation to continue winning on the pitch?

We set it aside. The external noise is extremely significant, and it's almost impossible to ignore it completely. Although we try to keep our personal lives separate and only browse our phones occasionally, we will definitely see a lot of things. But we're very good at focusing our energy on our work.

We train well and enjoy every day we come to the club to train. Our attention is only on what we can control. These are the things we always stick to and enjoy. We fully trust the club and love winning.

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